Field of the Disclosure
Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure relate to a structure for filling a tube structure, more particularly, to divergence type filling port which will enable the slurry to be deflected into two opposing directions along the longitudinal axis of the geotextile tube and enabling an even distribution of geotextile tube height throughout.
Discussion of the Background
The pumping pressure is an important factor in designing geotextile tubes but improper application during filling will consequently result to geotextile rapture or failure. Since a higher pumping pressure is desirable at times to achieve an optimum tube height, another method for slurry filling is needed.
The conventional slurry filling practice generally uses a straight type filling port 10 (I-type inlet) connected to a delivery hose 3 provided with slurry from outside as shown in FIG. 1.
During injection the slurry will be filled on the geotextile tube 1 in the downward direction at a high velocity as shown in FIG. 2. A phenomenon called the hydraulic jump will occur as the pressurized slurry crashes at the bottom of the geotextile tube 1. The turbulent wave caused by the collision of slurry and the bottom of the geotextile tube will be dispersed sideways, both in the transverse and longitudinal directions. In the transverse plane where the span is less than the longitudinal plane, the turbulent wave caused by the pumping action will greatly affect and increase the circumferential force rather than the axial force of the geotextile tube. Excessive pumping pressure will cause the geotextiles to overstress which will lead to rapture or failure.
Moreover, the experiments conducted on a transparent vinyl geotubes (referred to as “geovinyl-tube”) exhibits a non-uniform height distribution of sediments along the tube (see FIG. 3). The circumferential scale height (measured by placing tailors tape around the body of the geotextile tube and designating the mid bottom of the tube as reference “0”, the tapes are placed at equal intervals along the tube to measure the height of sediments in the geotextile tube after each filling phase. The deposition height of sediments using I-type inlet varies along the geotextile tube 1. After the last filling phase, it produced a wavy top surfaced geovinyl-tube. The actual soil deposition is shown in FIG. 3.